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Your local cooperative extension office can test your soil sample for pH and nutrient levels (some states charge a small fee). The soil analysis usually takes a few weeks to process.

Generally, a soil sample sent in for a Routine soil test will be processed within five business days of the date it is received into the Lab. If the sample is mailed to the Lab, allow two or three days for the sample to get to the Lab and another two to three days for your soil test results to be mailed back to you.May 4, 2005

A soil test kit measures the nutrient content of your soil. ... Home soil test kits guide gardeners to the right types and quantities of fertilizers to optimize specific plant growth by revealing pH, which indicates acidity or alkalinity.Jun 28, 2021

So while test kits may sometimes test accurately, they don't always. They can be a useful tool if you've never tested your soil before, but it is still worth planning to have your soil lab tested in the future. Perhaps the most important measurement of a soil test is that of the pH.Apr 17, 2020

Nevertheless, commercially available kits such as Rapitest and La Motte Soil Test Kit were 92% and 94% accurate, respectively, for the soils tested and are a fast and economic means by which farmers, home gardeners, and agricultural service personnel can improve nutrient management for crop production and environmental ...

Every home and garden center carries pH test kits. These kits are fairly accurate, but you must make sure you follow the testing instructions precisely. Once you know whether your soil pH is a problem or not, you can begin working to correct the problem.Oct 18, 2021

Testing soil — especially new garden soil — helps guarantee your vegetables and other plants will do their best during the growing season. And springtime, just before you begin planting, is the best time to do it. Home kits are not only effective but make soil testing easy.

You can perform a soil test any time of the year, but fall is preferable — simply make it a part of your annual fall garden routine. Similarly, go ahead and do a soil test if you consistently experience unhealthy plants in an area of your garden for no discernible reason.

Signs of healthy soil include plenty of underground animal and plant activity, such as earthworms and fungi. Soil that is rich in organic matter tends to be darker and crumbles off of the roots of plants you pull up. A healthy, spread-out root system is also a sign of good soil.